Card-type storage item and clip

ABSTRACT

A card-type item for random access storage and retrieval formed of a transparent photographic film card or sheet carrying a plurality of microimages and having a metallic stiffening clip along one edge, such as a vertical edge, of U-shape within which that edge of the card or sheet is disposed and to which is interlocked as by dimpling of the metallic clip. The outer edge of the clip is provided with notches in any desired code, such as binary, to identify each item by the coded notches and their cooperation with address plates or bars positioned to permit only a single card-type item to be withdrawn from a store of a plurality of items. The opposite ends of the clip are provided with extensions of different breadth to positively orient the item in upright position. The outer edge of the clip is also provided with a generally central extractor notch to receive an extractor head and with upper and lower register notches, at least one of which locates the item vertically and the other establishes the vertical axis. The stiffening clip is desirably of magnetic material for initial magnetic movement of an addressed item from the store.

United States Patent [72} Inventors Eugene I-1.Irasek PrimaryExaminerDaryl W. Cook Palos Verdes Peninsula; Attorney Fulwider, Patton,Rieber, Lee & Utecht Ben H. Owens, Orange, Calif. [2]] Appl. No. 740,914[22] Filed June 28, 1968 I f' J 12, 1971 ABSTRACT: card-type item forrandom access storage and Asslgnee Image 5125161115, retrieval formed ofa transparent photographic film card or Culver y, Callfsheet carrying aplurality of microimages and having a metallic a corporation ofCalifornia stiffening clip along one edge, such as a vertical edge, ofU- shape within which that edge of the card or sheet is disposed [54]CARD TYPE STORAGE ITEM AND CLIP and to which is interlocked as bydimpling of the metallic clip. The outer edge of the clip is providedwith notches m any 9 Claims, 2 Drawing F lgs.

desired code, such as binary, to identify each item by the U.S. codednotches and their cooperation address plates or s i bars positioned topermit only a single card-type item to be [50] Field ofSearch 235/6l.12;withdrawn f a Store f a plurality f items. The Opposite 20950-11105 endsof the clip are provided with extensions of different breadth topositively orient the item in upright position. The [56] ReferencesC'ted outer edge of the clip is also provided with a generally centralUNITED STATES PATENTS extractor notch to receive an extractor head andwith upper 2,640,647 6/1953 Rand, Jrv 235/61.12 and lower registernotches, at least one of which locates the 2,645,226 7/1953 Walker, Jr.et a1 235/61.12X item vertically and the other establishes the verticalaxis. The 2,807,728 9/1957 Kilburn et a1. 235/61.l2X stiffening clip isdesirably of magnetic material for initial mag- 2,848,163 8/1958Vanl-lorne Serrell 235/61.12 netic movement of an addressed item fromthe store.

1.2 2 /Z f I f" "1 l I a i CARD-TYPE STORAGE ITEM AND CLIP BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 1. This invention is in the field of card-type items, suchas microfiche, for random access information storage and retrieval.

2. It is known in the storage and retrieval of information to usetransparent photographic film on which are a plurality of rows andcolumns of microimages and to store such card-type items in a group inwhich they are individually identified by edge notch coded addresses. Itis likewise old to form such cards with magnetic edge strips by which anaddressed card is attracted for initial movement from the store.

However, card-type items of the prior art have been relatively expensiveand have not, in general, provided means facilitating the extraction andregistering of the items, nor been provided with means preventingambiguity in their positioning, all of which are included in thecard-type item of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The card-type item of the present invention,such as a microfiche for random access information storage andretrieval, comprises an information storage card or sheet of transparentphotographic film having a plurality of rows and columns of microimagesthereon. A U-shaped magnetic clip is attached to one edge of themicrofilm sheet by having the sheet edge inserted into the U-shaped clipand the clip interlocked therewith as by dimples in the sides of theclips extending into openings through the microfilm sheet. The outer orbight edge of the clip is provided with a plurality of coding notcheswhich uniquely identify the item by the coded number thereof and with atleast three additional notches, a central one of which is generallyT-shaped to receive an extractor head by which the item is pulled out ofthe store and two other notches for registering the card-type item in adelivery position, such as a projector gate. One of the register notchesmay be V-shaped to cooperate with a rounded register surface to indexthe item vertically while the other register notch provides a verticalsurface engaging a cooperating register surface to locate the axis ofthe item vertically.

In addition, the clip may be provided with end extensions of differentbreadth, the smaller of which may be received in a guiding groove inwhich it rides, which groove will not receive the larger extensionwhereby the item is oriented in upright position.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following specification and the appendeddrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of acard-type storage item according to the present invention with certaincooperating elements shown in phantom; and

FIG. 2 is a partial transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The card-type item according tothe present invention is comprised of a card or sheet 11 of photographicfilm upon which there are a plurality of columns and rows of microimages12. Along an edge of the film sheet, as shown the forward side edge, ismounted a clip 13, preferably of magnetic material, and of narrowU-shape in cross section, with legs l3, l4 and 15 and a bight 16. Theedge of the microfilm sheet within the clip is provided with a pair ofholes 17 therethrough and the opposite sides of the clip are dimpled at18 and 19 to be extruded into the holes 17 whereby the clip is solidlyinterlocked with the microfilm sheet. Alternatively, the clip could becemented to the microfilm card or sheet and if desired a spot weld canbe made through the dimples which will not only join them but causelocal melting and flow of the film at the dimples to insure morepositive registration and attachment between the clip and film. The edgeof the film is desirably cut back before securement to the clip in anarea in which the following described notches in the bight 16 of theclip are placed.

Adjacent the vertical midpoint of the clip is a T-shaped notch 21 whichis adapted to receive a complementary T- shaped head 22 on an extractorarm 23 by which a selected card-type item is withdrawn from the storeand registered or indexed in a delivery position such as a projectorgate.

Above and below the extraction notch 21 are a plurality of codingnotches 24 and 25 which may be in any desired code, such as standardbinary, binary coded decimal, grey binary, octal, and the like toindividually identify each card by number regardless of its storageposition. These notches cooperate with address plates or bars which arereceived in the notches to select a card which is uniquely addressed bythe position of the plates or bars, an addressed item being partiallywithdrawn from the store by magnetic attraction on the clip 13 asexplained in the copending application of Eugene H. Irasek, Ser. No.528,231, filed Feb. 17, 1966 for RANDOM ACCESS STORAGE AND RETRIEVALDEVICE.

Above and below the identifying notches 24, 25 are a pair of registernotches 26 and 27 of which the notch 26 is V-shaped and is adapted tocooperate with a rounded registering rod 28 at the projector gate toindex the item vertically. The register notch 27 provides a verticalsurface 29 cooperating with the edge of a second rounded rod 31 tolocate the axis of the card vertically.

The clip 13 is provided with upper and lower extensions 32 and 33 ofwhich the lower, 33, is narrower to be just received within a guidenotch diagrammatically illustrated at 34, the wall of the notch beinginterrupted at the withdrawal position to permit forward withdrawal ofthe item by the extractor arm 23. The extension 32 is broader than thenotch 34 and will not be received therein so that the itemwill beoriented in upright position and is prevented from being loaded in thestore upside down.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have beenspecifically illustrated and described, it will be understood that theinvention is not limited thereto as many variations will be apparent tothose skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadestinterpretation within the terms of the following claims.

We claim:

1. An edge-stiffening clip for card-type microfiche comprismg:

an elongated magnetic member substantially U-shaped in cross section tohave its legs disposed on opposite sides of an edge of the film; v

means on said member for mechanically engaging an a extractor therewith;

a plurality of identifying coding notches in the bight edge of saidmember; and

register notches at opposite sides of said identifying notches adaptedto cooperate with register surfaces to index the clip in a deliveredposition.

2. The clip defined in claim 1 in which one of said register notches issubstantially V-shaped to cooperate with a rounded surface to index theclip axially and the other of said register notches presents a surfaceto locate the axis in rotation relative to the first register notch.

3. The clip defined in claim 1 in which said extractor engaging meanscomprises a notch in the bight of said clip substantially centrallythereof for interlocking with the extractor.

4. The clip defined in claim 1 including end extensions on said clip ofdifferent breadths adapted to cooperate with a restrictive notchreceiving only one of them whereby to orient the clip end for end.

5. A card-type item for random access information storage and retrievalcomprising a microfilm card having the clip of claim 1 secured to anedge thereof with the edge of the microfilm card received between thesides of the U-shaped clip.

6. The card-type item of claim 5 in which said microfilm card edge isprovided with perforations within the clip and at least one side of theclip is dimpled inwardly into the perforations to interlock the clip andthe microfilm card.

74 The card-type item defined in claim 6 in which both sides of theU-shaped clip are dimpled inwardly to meet within the perforationsthrough the microfilm card.

8. The cardtype item defined in claim 7 in which said opposite sidedimples are spot-welded together within the card perforations.

9. The card-type item defined in claim 5 in which:

said extractor engaging means comprises a notch in the bight of the clipsubstantiallycentrally thereof for interlocking with the extractor;

one of said register notches is substantially V-shaped to cooperate witha rounded surface to index the item axially and the other of saidregister notches presents a surface to locate the axis in rotationrelation to the first register notch; and

end extensions on said clip of different breadths for orienting the itemend for end.

1. An edge-stiffening clip for card-type microfiche comprising: anelongated magnetic member substantially U-shaped in cross section tohave its legs disposed on opposite sides of an edge of the film; meanson said member for mechanically engaging an a extractor therewith; aplurality of identifying coding notches in the bight edge of saidmember; and register notches at opposite sides of said identifyingnotches adapted to cooperate with register surfaces to index the clip ina delivered position.
 2. The clip defined in claim 1 in which one ofsaid register notches is substantially V-shaped to cooperate with arounded surface to index the clip axially and the other of said registernotches presents a surface to locate the axis in rotation relative tothe first register notch.
 3. The clip defined in claim 1 in which saidextractor engaging means comprises a notch in the bight of said clipsubstantially centrally thereof for interlocking with the extractor. 4.The clip defined in claim 1 including end extensions on said clip ofdifferent breadths adapted to cooperate with a restrictive notchreceiving only one of them whereby to orient the clip end for end.
 5. Acard-type item for random access information storage and retrievalcomprising a microfilm card having the clip of claim 1 secured to anedge thereof with the edge of the microfilm card received between thesides of the U-shaped clip.
 6. The card-type item of claim 5 in whichsaid microfilm card edge is provided with perforations within the clipand at least one side of the clip is dimpled inwardly into theperforations to interlock the clip and the microfilm card.
 7. Thecard-type item defined in claim 6 in which both sides of the U-shapedclip are dimpled inwardly to meet within the perforations through themicrofilm card.
 8. The card-type item defined in claim 7 in which saidopposite side dimples are spot-welded together within the cardperforations.
 9. The card-type item defined in claim 5 in which: saidextractor engaging means comprises a notch in the bight of the clipsubstantially centrally thereof for interlocking with the extractor; oneof said register notches is substantially V-shaped to cooperate with arounded surface to index the item axially and the other of said registernotches presents a surface to locate the axis in rotation relation tothe first register notch; and end extensions on said clip of differentbreadths for orienting the item end for end.